Kingsview Wealth Management LLC Takes Position in KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR)President Bola Tinubu and the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, have returned to Abuja from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where they have been attending the 19th G20 Leaders Summit. The Airbus A330 conveying the first couple arrived at the Presidential Wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 10.20 p.m. (Nigerian time). This concludes his 31st foreign trip since assuming office 18 months ago. Related News Tinubu, wife depart Brazil after G20 summit Again, LP denies working for Tinubu Tinubu asks Senate to confirm Oluyede as COAS The meeting brought together leaders from the world’s top 20 economies, including the European Union, the African Union, and multilateral financial institutions, among others. It comprises 19-member countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the UK, and the US, along with the European Union. During the summit, held from Monday, November 18, to Tuesday, November 19, 2024, Tinubu engaged in bilateral discussions to advance Nigeria’s socio-economic reforms. He also joined world leaders to endorse the global alliance against hunger and poverty. The President held bilateral talks with Kristalina Georgieva, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, who commended his administration’s economic reforms and their indicators. He also presided over the signing of a $2.5bn Letter of Intent between the Nigerian government and JBS S.A., a Brazilian company and one of the top three largest meat processing companies globally. The G20 summit, hosted by Brazilian President Lula da Silva, focused on the theme, “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet.”” Discussions addressed sustainable development in economic, social, and environmental dimensions, global governance reforms, climate change, and the digital economy. The Nigerian leader’s participation is at the instance of the Brazilian President. Tinubu was accompanied by top government officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; Ministers of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha; Minster of Art, Tourism, Culture and Creativity, Hannatu Musawa; Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Aliyu Abdullahi; and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed. So far, he has logged 131 days abroad, visiting 17 countries and accumulated about 278 flight hours. He has visited Malabo, Equatorial Guinea; London, the United Kingdom (four times); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic; The Hague, Netherlands; Pretoria, South Africa; Accra, Ghana; New Delhi, India; Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice); Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal and Doha, Qatar.
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The Salvation Army in Prince Albert is searching for some volunteers this holiday season to help ring those bells for the organization’s annual Christmas Kettle Campaign. The fundraiser kicked off this past week across the country and is one of Canada’s largest and most recognizable annual charitable events. Major Ed Dean with the Salvation Army said the work is easy and is a great way to give back. “Bell ringing is quite easy, it’s standing for two hours at one of our Christmas Kettles. We have 800 kettle shifts to fill this year and the more shifts we fill, the better we will do with our campaign. Every hour that somebody is on a kettle, it makes a huge difference in what we can do in our community throughout the year.” The money raised helps the organization pay for toys for children and funds their community feeding program, where they serve over 50,000 meals per year to vulnerable men, women and children, or to anyone who is hungry in Prince Albert. “As you know, food is not getting cheaper,” said Dean. “These dollars are needed to help cover that cost. The need is still there, we’re serving 150-200 people five times a week at the Salvation Army.” Across Canada in 2023, the organization served 3.2 million meals that fed families with children, employed people whose low wages don’t cover basic living essentials, individuals on social assistance, and Canadians living on a fixed income, which includes seniors and people with disabilities. Dean said the initiatives rely on volunteers to keep running. “It’s all done with volunteers, they’re doing all the cooking and the cleaning. And so now, if we could have some other volunteers step up and say ‘You know what, I could give two hours to my community’ because it’s neighbours helping neighbours.” Christmas Kettles will be set up at businesses around the city, including at Safeway, Walmart, Real Canadian Superstore, Wholesale Club, Save-On-Foods, Co-op Food Store, and the Co-op Liquor Store on 2nd Ave. Additionally, the Salvation Army will have one at A&W, but the kettle itself will be different from the rest as it’s, what Dean calls, a “tip tap kettle”. “It’s a kettle with a tap machine, like an electronic kettle, and it’s set up in $10 increments, so they can tap their card at that location and they’re giving to the Salvation Army,” he explained, noting the changing times. “That’s the challenging piece when you don’t carry cash anymore, electronic is the way to go.” Like in previous years, kettles collecting change will have QR codes attached to them to allow shoppers to scan them to donate online. Those who wish to volunteer at one of the many Christmas Kettles around Prince Albert can call the Salvation Army office at (306) 763-6078. From there, they can dial the bell ringer extension attached to the phone number. “We would love to have groups or children singing. There’s lots of different ways they could have some fun, maybe they’ll meet some people they haven’t seen over the year,” said Dean. Christmas kettles are taking donations from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. five days a week from Tuesday to Saturday. The final day of the Campaign will be on Christmas Eve. “Every hour that someone is on a kettle, it could mean a difference in $100.” — loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com
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Russia missile suspected in Azerbaijani plane crash, Moscow warns against 'hypotheses'Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are suggesting the country stop its biannual ritual of falling back and springing forward – advocating a permanent end to time changes in a move that has garnered broad support in the past. In a series of posts on X last week, both entrepreneurs called for the US to stop changing its clocks twice a year, with Musk declaring Americans want their country to “abolish the annoying time changes!” and Ramaswamy describing the century-old practice as “inefficient & easy to change.” It’s unclear how seriously the two men are taking this push and whether they intend to make stopping time changes a priority for their newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, which President-elect Donald Trump has tasked with overhauling how the government operates and identifying and making recommendations to eliminate processes or programs deemed redundant. While other objectives floated by Musk and Ramaswamy for their department to tackle have been criticized as unwieldy or not possible, the semi-annual clock change is a tradition that has lost its appeal to many voters, polls have shown. And the change, if enacted, would be the most sweepingly impactful recommendation floated by Musk and Ramaswamy yet, affecting how hundreds of millions of people start and end their days. It’s also an idea that some key members of Trump’s incoming administration and the Republican Senate caucus have vocally supported for years. But some experts say the suggestion of sweeping changes resulting from a possible elimination of clock changes is overblown. “I think this is really an argument between morning people and nighttime people,” said Dr. Jadrian Wooten, a collegiate associate professor at Virginia Tech’s Department of Economics who has studied the risk and benefits of Daylight Saving Time. The benefits espoused by people who prefer more light in the morning could inversely be true for the same as those who prefer more light later in the afternoon. For each study that shows a positive one way, another study can show one for the other. There are three different camps in the debate. One argues for leaving the time changes as they currently are, with most of the country changing their clocks forward in March and back in November. This approach attempts to balance the amount of sunlight people receive on any given day and strikes a compromise between those who prefer more sunlight in the morning and those who prefer more in the evening; each group gets their preference at different points in the year. It’s the Goldilocks solution. The second advocates for a permanent standard time, keeping the clocks as they are from November to March year-round. This would lead to parts of the country experiencing earlier sunrises and sunsets than they usually do during those five months – leaving more light in the morning and less in the evening. This approach is supported by medical groups and professionals who say it most closely aligns with the body’s natural circadian rhythm. “If you get too much light too late in the evening, it disrupts your sleep, and we are essentially creating a months-long environment in which we are actually receiving light at a time that is later in the day than is optimal for our health,” said Dr. Adam Spira, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who studies the benefits of healthy sleep habits. “We’re already a sleep-deprived society,” Spira said, “and we’re making it harder for people to fall asleep.” This approach also resonates with parents who don’t want their children waiting for the school bus under a dark morning sky. “It’s kids getting ready to go to school,” said Wooten, the Virginia Tech economist. “It’s kids getting on the bus. You know, it’s really dangerous to put kids out waiting for the bus in the morning when it’s really dark outside, and so if you have that extra time in the morning, it’s a safer morning for most people, right?” The third advocates for a permanent Daylight Saving Time. The sun would rise and set later, giving people less daylight in the morning and more in the evening. This approach is often supported by retail, business and restaurant groups and organizations that want people to have enough daylight left after work or school to be out and about and participating in the economy, and by those who say more daylight in the evening could reduce crime. The reasons for supporting any side in this debate are as disparate as each individual’s own personal life experiences; some parents may prefer that their children not wait for the bus during a dark morning, while other parents may prefer there be some daylight while they watch their kids practice sports after school. While Musk and Ramaswamy both said they support ending the clock changes, it’s not clear whether they are proposing the country adopt permanent Daylight Saving Time or permanent standard time. Musk seemed to signal support for both conflicting ideas in his posts to X last week. “Looks like the people want to abolish the annoying time changes!” he wrote in response to an X user who made poll that showed wide support for abolishing Daylight Saving Time. Hours later, he responded with an enthusiastic “ Yes! ” when Florida Sen. Rick Scott touted the Sunshine Protection Act, legislation he supports which would “lock the clock” and make Daylight Saving Time the standard. That post, which said Daylight Saving Time “needs to go,” was eventually deleted because it contained what Scott’s office described as a typographical error. Scott, whose unsuccessful bid for Senate leadership was supported by Musk and who now sits on the DOGE Senate caucus, signed a state version of that bill into law when he was governor of Florida in 2018. “Floridians are sick of changing their clocks because we all want more sunshine,” Scott said in an October statement touting the bill. “It’s time for Congress to act, pass the Sunshine Protection Act and lock the clock.” Previous attempts to do so have faltered. Daylight Saving Time was first introduced during World War I to assist with the nation’s industrial productivity during the Great War – not, as popular rumors frequently suggest, to give farmers more day time during harvest. Daylight Saving Time was kept permanent during most of World War II, also for reasons to do with industry and energy. During the gas crisis in the 1970s, the country once again tried making Daylight Saving Time permanent, only for public approval to plummet after complaints of children being hit by cars while waiting for the bus at night. States aren’t required to change their clocks; Hawaii, most of Arizona and some US territories in the Pacific and Caribbean do not observe Daylight Saving Time. In 2022, the US Senate passed legislation making Daylight Saving Time permanent, but the House failed to vote on it. And last year, a bipartisan group of senators reintroduced legislation that would make a switch to daylight saving permanent. Now, with the possible support of one of the richest men in the world, the country may prepare to make another change – one way or the other. Musk and Ramaswamy are expected to address Republican House and Senate members on Thursday afternoon, with the meeting expected to center on the newly formed efficiency department.Two more Hindu priests arrested in Bangladesh: ISKCON Kolkata
The Thing Remastered Release Date Quietly Revealed for Later This WeekCOLLEGE STATION, Texas — Wade Taylor IV scored 15 points and Pharrel Payne and Henry Coleman III each added 10 as No. 22 Texas A&M beat Wake Forest 57-44 on Tuesday night. Hunter Sallis led Wake Forest with a game-high 19 points, and Davin Cosby added 11 points. Texas A&M (7-2) shot 39% from the floor (19 of 49) and Wake Forest (7-3) shot 28% (17 of 60) from the floor. The Aggies led 47-42 lead with 6:46 remaining when Taylor stole the ball and Coleman finished the possession with a dunk to give the Aggies to an insurmountable seven-point lead. Wake Forest also led by seven points a little more than seven minutes into the game before falling behind by halftime. Texas A&M's Andersson Garcia grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds. Takeaways Texas A&M: The usually-hustling Aggies appeared a bit lethargic after playing three games in the previous week, including an 81-77 victory over Rutgers on Saturday, in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. Texas A&M, which won its third consecutive game, took comfort in playing its first home game in 13 days. Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons were unable to carry over the momentum from a 57-51 victory over Minnesota on Friday in the third-place game of the ESPN Events Invitational in Kissimmee, Florida. Sallis got back on track, however, after finishing 1 of 11 from the floor against Minnesota. Texas A&M guard Zhuric Phelps (1) swings on the rim after dunking the ball against Wake Forest during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in College Station, Texas. Credit: AP/Sam Craft Key moment Taylor banked a 3-pointer with 25 seconds remaining in the first half to lift the Aggies to a 29-26 lead at the break. Key stat The Aggies made 14 of 17 of their free throws for 82%, 14% better than their average entering the game. Up next The Aggies face Texas Tech on Sunday in Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena in a neutral-site match between the old Southwest Conference and Big 12 foes. The Demon Deacons host Boston College on Saturday in their ACC opener.Lineage Explores Connection Between Food Infrastructure and Economic Development in New Research by Economist Impact
By Kemberley Washington, CPA, Bankrate.com (TNS) As the end of the year approaches, now’s the time to start preparing for filing your 2024 tax return in 2025. When it comes to tax strategies, generally Dec. 31 is the deadline to make changes that might lower your tax bill. One major exception is the deadline for contributing to a Roth or traditional IRA : You have until April 15, 2025, to make a contribution to a Roth or traditional IRA for tax year 2024. If you qualify for deductible IRA contributions , then a contribution to your traditional IRA can reduce your taxable income for 2024. Here are tips and strategies to prepare now for the 2025 tax-filing deadline. 1. Decide who will prepare your taxes If you had significant changes in your life in 2024 — maybe you got married or divorced, started your own business, or had to claim unemployment benefits — your taxes may be more complicated. As a result, you might need to hire a certified public accountant (CPA), enrolled agent (EA) or other tax professional to prepare and file your taxes. If you decide to hire someone, it’s best to start planning for that sooner rather than later. Waiting until the calendar flips to April could cost you. The average fee for a professional to prepare and file a simple Form 1040 tax return, with no itemized deductions, is about $220, according to a survey by the National Society of Accountants in 2020-2021, the most recent data available. But that amount rises quickly for more complex returns, and varies depending on where you live. For example, a Form 1040 with itemized deductions costs an average of $432 in states on the Pacific Coast, compared with $285 in New England. No matter where you live, prices usually rise as the tax deadline approaches, so it’s smart to start searching for a tax pro soon. 2. Find ways to file for free If you’re uncomfortable doing your taxes on your own and can’t afford a CPA, enrolled agent or other tax pro, or to pay for tax software , there are free options to consider. The IRS currently offers three ways to prepare your taxes for free: •With the IRS Free File program, the IRS partners with for-profit tax-software companies that offer free tax-prep software to eligible taxpayers so they can file their federal tax returns for free. Some taxpayers may also qualify for a free state tax filing, depending on the software provider. In January, the IRS will announce the income limit to qualify for the program for the 2025 tax season (for filing 2024 tax returns). For the 2024 tax season (2023 tax returns), taxpayers’ adjusted gross income (AGI) couldn’t exceed $79,000. •The IRS also offers its Direct File program, a free tool that allows you to file your federal income tax return directly with the IRS at no cost. The program supports simple tax returns and is available only in certain states. Check to see if you qualify here. •Another free-filing option is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. IRS-certified volunteers offer free basic tax preparation in person to people who earn less than $67,000 a year, are disabled or whose English is limited. The IRS has an online location tool for hundreds of free tax preparation sites in the U.S. (the locator tool is updated from February through April). Some VITA sites also offer online tax-prep assistance. 3. Create an online IRS account Now is a good time to create an IRS online account. If you want to see your Form 1040 from last year, or you’re missing a prior year Form W-2 or mortgage interest statement, you can find your documents using this free tax tool. Another benefit of creating an IRS online account is that it allows you to quickly obtain your prior year’s tax information without sitting on the phone for hours with an IRS representative, says Carl Johnson, a certified public accountant in New Orleans. An IRS online account also lets you view your account balance and payment history for each year. You can also create a payment plan to settle your federal income tax debt within minutes. 4. Take your required minimum distributions (RMDs) If you’re 73 years old and have enjoyed watching your 401(k) or IRA grow tax-free without touching it, remember that the IRS is going to want its share each year. That means you’ll have to make withdrawals — and pay income tax. If you turned 73 in 2024, plan to take your required minimum distribution (RMD) at the latest by April 1, 2025. Read this IRS bulletin for more information. The amount of your RMDs is based on your age and the year-end values of your retirement accounts. 5. Think long-term: Consider converting an IRA to a Roth A Roth IRA has two big tax advantages over a traditional IRA : Qualified withdrawals are not considered income for federal (and usually state) tax purposes, and you don’t have to take distributions from a Roth every year once you reach age 73. Converting a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA may save you money in the long run. Just know that when you convert an IRA to a Roth, it’s considered taxable income, which will raise your tax bill for that year. Generally, it’s best to convert to a Roth IRA when you’re in a low-income year. 6. Protect yourself from tax scams and fraud As tax season approaches, many people start receiving phone calls, emails and texts from entities claiming to be the IRS. Be wary, and understand that these are scams. Typically, the IRS will mail you a notice before using any other method of communication to notify you concerning issues with your tax return. The IRS won’t reach out via social media or text messaging. Relatedly, the IRS warns taxpayers to be careful when choosing a tax preparer. Taking time to vet your tax preparer is crucial to protect yourself from tax scams and fraud. Before hiring a tax professional, search that person’s name in the IRS database of federal tax return preparers to avoid dishonest “professionals.” “Taxpayers should check the tax professional’s credentials,” Johnson says. Tax pros without credentials “may take questionable positions without any degree of scrutiny or fear of losing their access to the profession,” Johnson says. 7. Don’t ignore the IRS Taxpayers who don’t file a tax return and owe a tax bill, or who file but don’t pay their tax bill on time, risk severe penalties. The IRS can even seize assets if necessary. Respond quickly if the IRS has been sending you letters because it found an error on your return or claims you owe back taxes. Typically, the IRS will send you a notice if you have a balance due, changes were made to your tax return, or the agency needs additional information. “If you ignore a collection letter from the IRS, you may face wage garnishments, liens, bank levies, and other adverse action. And in some cases, the amount due may increase for failure to respond,” Johnson says. Keep in mind the IRS does offer installment plans and other payment plans. Make copies of your correspondence and use only the U.S. Postal Service, the postmark from which is your proof of timeliness when responding. But whatever you do, don’t ignore the IRS because this may cause more issues in the future. ©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Quinn runs for 154 yards, 2 TDs to lead Texas Southern over Arkansas-Pine Bluff 31-23
Young men swung to the right for Trump after a campaign dominated by masculine appealsAzerbaijani and US officials believe a Russian surface-to-air missile caused the deadly crash of an Azerbaijani passenger jet, media reports and a US official said Thursday, as the Kremlin cautioned against "hypotheses" over the disaster. The Azerbaijan Airlines jet crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau, an oil and gas hub, on Wednesday after going off course for undetermined reasons. Thirty-eight of the 67 people on board died. The Embraer 190 aircraft was supposed to fly northwest from the Azerbaijani capital Baku to the city of Grozny in Chechnya, southern Russia, but instead diverted far off course across the Caspian Sea. An investigation is underway, with pro-government Azerbaijani website Caliber citing unnamed officials as saying they believed a Russian missile fired from a Pantsir-S air defence system downed the plane. The claim was also reported by The New York Times, broadcaster Euronews and the Turkish news agency Anadolu. Some aviation and military experts said the plane might have been accidentally shot by Russian air defence systems because it was flying in an area where Ukrainian drone activity had been reported. A former expert at France's BEA air accident investigation agency said there appeared to be "a lot of shrapnel" damage on the wreckage. Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said the damage was "reminiscent" of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which was downed with a surface-to-air missile by Russia-backed rebels over eastern Ukraine in 2014. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: "It would be wrong to make any hypotheses before the investigation's conclusions." Euronews cited Azerbaijani government sources as saying that "shrapnel hit the passengers and cabin crew as it exploded next to the aircraft mid-flight". A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, also said early indications suggested a Russian anti-aircraft system struck the plane. Kazakhstan news agency Kazinform cited a regional prosecutor as saying that two black-box flight recorders had been recovered. Azerbaijan Airlines initially said the plane flew through a flock of birds, before withdrawing the statement. Kazakh officials said 38 people had been killed and there were 29 survivors, including three children. Jalil Aliyev, the father of flight attendant Hokume Aliyeva, told AFP that this was supposed to have been her last flight before starting a job as a lawyer for the airline. "Why did her young life have to end so tragically?" the man said in a trembling voice before hanging up the phone. Eleven of the injured are in intensive care, the Kazakh health ministry said. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev declared Thursday a day of mourning and cancelled a planned visit to Russia for an informal summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a grouping of former Soviet nations. "I extend my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the crash... and wish a speedy recovery to the injured," Aliyev said in a social media post Wednesday. The Flight Radar website showed the plane deviating from its normal route, crossing the Caspian Sea and then circling over the area where it eventually crashed near Aktau, on the eastern shore of the sea. Kazakhstan said the plane was carrying 37 Azerbaijani passengers, six Kazakhs, three Kyrgyz and 16 Russians. A Kazakh woman told the local branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) she was near where the plane crashed and rushed to the site to help survivors. "They were covered in blood. They were crying. They were calling for help," said the woman, who gave her name as Elmira. She said they saved some teenagers. "I'll never forget their look, full of pain and despair," said Elmira. "A girl pleaded: 'Save my mother, my mother is back there'." Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with Aliyev and "expressed his condolences in connection with the crash", Peskov told a news conference. bur/rlp/js
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Report: UCF HC Gus Malzahn to become Florida State OCWhen: 1:05 p.m. Sunday Where: Superdome, New Orleans TV/radio: FOX (Ch. 11)/710 AM; 93.1 FM; 1330 AM (Spanish); Sirius 382, 226 Line: Rams by 3.5 Rams: OUT: TE Tyler Higbee (knee), OL KT Leveston (ankle); QUESTIONABLE: OL Alaric Jackson (foot), OLB Nick Hampton (triceps). Saints: OUT: OL Lucas Patrick (calf); QUESTIONABLE: C Erik McCoy (groin), RB Jamaal Williams (groin), DL Tanoh Kpassagnon (Achilles). What’s at stake? With just six games left in the season, the Rams can’t afford to fall two games below .500 as they try to keep their NFC West title hopes alive. Behind the Cardinals and Seahawks by a game in the divisional race, the Rams need to beat the Saints – one of three teams left on their schedule with losing records – to keep within a reasonable striking distance. Who’s better? The Rams, despite their many inconsistencies, are the better, more balanced team. The Saints, after all, fired head coach Dennis Allen midseason as injuries erased the good vibes around New Orleans following a 2-0 start to the season thanks to an explosive offense. Matchup to watch: Saints RB Alvin Kamara vs. Rams’ run defense. The Rams were gashed in a 37-20 loss last week by Saquon Barkley, rushing for an Eagles-record 255 yards as the Rams front didn’t stay gap sound, putting linebackers and defensive backs in difficult positions. They will get an immediate chance at redemption against another high-powered back in Kamara, who is still managing 4.3 yards per carry despite a litany of injuries along the New Orleans offensive line. Rams win if: They convert at least 40% of their third-down opportunities on offense. ... They average more than 4.0 yards per carry behind RB Kyren Williams. ... They can bottle up Saints tight end and utility man Taysom Hill after he exploded for 138 rushing yards in the Saints’ previous game. Fantasy sleeper: WR Tutu Atwell. The fourth-year receiver popped up in the fourth quarter of last weekend’s loss to the Eagles as a reliable option in the Rams’ hurry-up offense. He could see an uptick in usage Sunday, especially following Demarcus Robinson’s Monday arrest for suspicion of DUI . Prediction: Rams 27, Saints 13. Beat reporter’s record: 8-3 for the season; 6-5 against the spread.Swinney and Brown at memorial service for ‘giant of a man’ Alex Salmond
The bad news for Chicago Bulls vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas is that Patrick Williams is out for an undetermined length of time with inflammation in his surgically repaired left foot. The good news is Karnišovas will get to see more of his latest project, Matas Buzelis, who figures to get more minutes as Williams rests his swollen foot. As the Bulls prepared to play the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday at the United Center in the second game of back-to-backs, the Buzelis buzz was growing, albeit at a low frequency. With Julian Phillips also sidelined Saturday with an illness, someone joked it was turning into “the Matas Buzelis Show.” “Maybe,” coach Billy Donovan said. “I’m here for the whole five positions.” With Williams and Phillips out, Donovan said he would have to utilize more of his bench against the Grizzlies as the Bulls attempted to win back-to-back games for the first time. Karnišovas gave Williams a five-year, $90 million extension in June, showing confidence Williams eventually would blossom into the player the Bulls envisioned when they selected him with the fourth pick in the 2020 draft. Williams was a 19-year old who didn’t start for Florida State but was chosen for his athleticism and upside as a 6-8 forward who can handle the ball. “Long arms, big hands,” Karnišovas said then. “Such an upside and potential. He can play from one through five. Played point guard in high school. Humble kid that is mature beyond his years. This is what the NBA is today.” Williams insisted Friday that he could’ve played if needed, but the Bulls aren’t likely to rush him back so soon into the season. Donovan talked about a “logjam” at the position before Williams’ injury, suggesting Buzelis and Phillips would benefit with more minutes. But instead of starting one of the two on Friday in the 136-122 win over the Atlanta Hawks, Donovan opted for a four-guard lineup, adding Ayo Dosunmu to starters Zack LaVine, Coby White and Josh Giddey. The Bulls’ Matas Buzelis gestures after making a 3-pointer in the third quarter against the Hawks in an NBA Cup game on Nov. 22, 2024, at the United Center. Buzelis scored nine points in the Bulls’ 136-122 win. (Geoff Stellfox/Getty) Still, Buzelis was on the court for two long stretches, scoring nine points with two blocks in 20 minutes while sinking a corner 3 and converting two dunks, including one that brought the house down in the first quarter. LaVine said he told the 20-year-old rookie to keep it up and not to worry about missing shots. “He athletically helps us just from being on the court and playing multiple positions,” LaVine said. Donovan liked the rim protection and the offensive part of Buzelis’s game but added the 6-9, 196-pound rookie needs to understand the realities of going into the paint in the NBA. “When he’s going to the basket, there are going to be people putting bodies in the way,” Donovan said. “And sometimes Euro-stepping leads you into some of those charges. These are things I think he’ll learn.” Related Articles Chicago Bulls | Column: Chicago Bulls are on pace for the worst defensive season in franchise history. Can it be fixed? Chicago Bulls | NBA urges players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following high-profile burglaries Chicago Bulls | ‘I’m being true to myself.’ How Zach LaVine strives for success through selflessness with the Chicago Bulls. Chicago Bulls | 6 takeaways as the Chicago Bulls lost to the Milwaukee Bucks — but won the minutes without Giannis Antetokounmpo Chicago Bulls | Patrick Williams is sidelined again with pain in the same foot — but Chicago Bulls aren’t panicking yet Hopefully those lessons will be learned now, as the 7-10 Bulls have nothing to lose by letting him play and seeing what they’ve got. They’re one trade away from being an official rebuild, and LaVine looks healthier and more tradeable than at any point in 2023-24. The anticipation whenever the ball found its way into Buzelis’s hands Friday was palpable to those of us sitting in the stands, which includes the local media not employed by the Chicago Sports Network. Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf took away the courtside press seating last year in a blatant money grab, similar to what he did at Sox Park many years ago. Anyway, it was obvious Friday that Bulls fans appear desperate for something new and exciting after years of watching the same old thing. Fair or not, Buzelis is going to have to succeed for Karnišovas’s reputation, not to mention for fans’ sanity. But until then, the Bulls will probably be content to ride LaVine as long as they can and look to the future at the trade deadline. White, Dosunmu and Williams will all be part of it, but the rest of the cast is unknown. Karnišovas’s widely panned acquisition of Giddey from the Oklahoma City Thunder for energizer Alex Caruso hasn’t been as one-sided as expected because of Caruso’s poor early-season shooting. Still, Giddey’s defensive play is so sketchy Donovan has been closing tight games with Dosunmu, making Giddey a bystander, literally and figuratively. Dosunmu, growing in confidence daily, has been up for the task. Without Lonzo Ball available , he’s easily their best perimeter defender. “You always want to help the team close a win,” Dosunmu said. “That feels pretty good. We’ve got to do better as a team closing games out, but I like where we’re at. We can be better. We will be better.” They had better be better, or Karnišovas will be the one bearing the brunt of the blame. Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu is fouled by the Hawks’ Dyson Daniels on a drive to the basket during the first half of an NBA Cup game on Nov. 22, 2024, at the United Center. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP) Dosunmu took over ballhandling duties Friday, which seemed to calm down Giddey, a decent point guard who’s a good distributor and rebounder but has difficulty covering smaller, quicker guards. Giddey had 18 points, eight assists and six rebounds Friday with a plus-19 rating in one of his better overall performances. Donovan said the four-guard starting lineup will be predicated on matchups while Williams is out, but obviously he liked what he saw Friday as the Bulls shot a season-high 57%, including 19-for-43 (44.2%) from 3-point range. LaVine noted the fast pace of both teams on Friday, when the Bulls made 19 turnovers and still cruised to a win to even their NBA Cup record at 1-1. “There were a couple times I didn’t make it past half-court without getting back,” LaVine said with a laugh. “We’re sticking with the identity of what we’re trying to do — guys playing fast. You have to get in shape for it.” The message from Donovan is clear, albeit a little repetitive. “We have to run,” Donovan said. “We have to try to generate stuff in transition. We have to play fast. It’s just what we have to do. ... It gets bodies off of us, helps us get downhill, helps generate some 3s.” On nights like Friday, it’s something to see. But with the real grind of the NBA schedule just beginning, we’ll soon find out how much the Bulls have in their tank.